"You only lie when you're afraid." – John Gotti

Silence hung in the office. If Lal Mirch didn't have her hand on Tsuna, sending small waves of Rain Flames to keep him calm, he would've bolted by now. Hibari wasn't an easy man—scratch that, he was fucking difficult, going in only one way while everyone else took several different routes to solve their problems. Tsuna hoped that the Arcobaleno knew what they were doing.

"I'm sorry, but you said that…our world is in danger?" Kusakabe said, breaking the silence.

Hibari didn't look amused or terrified. His gray eyes were trained on Fon who didn't spare him a glance. Lal Mirch nodded. "Yeah, that's what I just said. You've been getting cases of bizarre murders, right? Most of them aren't something that should be dealt by normal means."

"We deal with things that you'd call supernatural," Verde said, closing his notebook. "Malevolent spirits, demons, the dead. Our duty is to keep them from entering your world, the human realm, and causing chaos. Understand that these aren't what you'd call demons since that is a broad term in itself. We call them Remnants."

Kusakabe furrowed his brows as he tried to keep up, admirably. Tsuna could only imagine all the shit he'd already went through and now this. "Remnants?"

"Yes, think of them as pieces of the dead that have lingered for too long in the human world, neither moving on to what you would call Heaven or Hell. Those terms are actually vague in that they're not the Heaven and Hell that you think of. The different religious spectrums regarding them—"

Lal Mirch deadpanned. "Verde, shut up."

Verde didn't miss a beat, unperturbed by Lal Mirch's rudeness or being interrupted. "Perhaps another time."

Fon smiled slightly, which made Hibari tense up. "Simply put, Remnants are the enduring pieces left behind by spirits who are guilty or angry. In most cases, they manifest into beings that have only one purpose: to devour human souls. It is their simple-minded notion that they could become human again that makes them that way. Although, in less common cases, if a spirit's hatred is powerful enough, it can become nearly sentient with a more specific purpose, therefore having particular targets in mind."

"Your so-called Butcher," Lal Mirch said, "tried to kill Tsuna a few days ago. If I hadn't been in the area, he would've died." She pursed her lips. "How could you just let him wander around like that? If Tsuna was killed, you guys would be all on your own and we wouldn't be here."

Verde snapped his cufflink to reveal a silver watch on his left wrist. Tsuna peered at it curiously, noting small four buttons that surrounded the center, which was a rectangular screen. After Verde pressed a button on the top right corner, a green hologram lit up in front of him like a small TV. Tsuna widened his eyes as Verde selected an image and zoomed in.

"This is your Butcher," Verde said, flipping the image for Hibari and Kusakabe to see better. "I recreated it from Lal Mirch's description."

Tsuna felt strange being relaxed when he saw the creature that had tried to kill him. It was a large, shapeless blob with a long slit for a mouth and sharp teeth coated with purple liquid. Thick tendrils swarmed around it like hovering knives. Kusakabe paled while Hibari looked on with disinterest. Verde swiped the hologram screen to a list of names and pictures—the victims.

"Wait," Kusakabe said, "how did you get those?"

"There's no clear pattern with the victimology," Verde said, ignoring him, "which made the Butcher dangerous and unpredictable to track; however, it isn't intelligent." The victim's faces floated up into rows before a map of Kokuyo appeared below them. Several red dots lit up around Blocks 29, 30, and 31. "These kinds of Remnants, which are categorized as Berserkers and the most common, hunt in a particular area and rarely venture too far out of convenience. Additionally, this zone has a dense population; the more people there are, the more souls to consume."

Kusakabe shifted on his feet, his brows furrowed in deep thought. "I…see. Our team did see a reoccurring geographical pattern but were unable to find any viable suspects due to the sporadic victimology. Neither of the victims had any connection to each other so we categorized the Butcher as a disorganized killer. With no evidence or lead, we've made no progress and only drew the public's ire." He rubbed his neck. "I…never expected this though."

Verde didn't give him much time to mull it over. Again, he swiped on the holographic screen to another set of data, which appeared seamlessly through little green cubes. It showed three portraits of women: Ashida Megumi, Tachibana Chisa, and Umeki Erisa. "The current case has three identified victims. The first two are dead while the third one survived. There's also a clear connection between them."

Kusakabe rubbed his chin. "Yes, from what we've been able to find, they were friends since pre-school. However, that doesn't really tell us much. Neither of them have any enemies. Ashida-san's fiancée told us that she was dedicated to her work. Her parents and coworkers say the same thing. With Tachibana-san, she was a tough woman but most of her colleagues and students liked her. Umeki-san has a clean record and she's on good terms in her workplace."

"It is always best to not trust the words of others so easily," Fon said.

Lal Mirch looked to Kusakabe. "He's right. This Remnant has a deep grudge and they're the worst kind. They're called Grievers. Judging from the victims' connection, something must've happened, or rather, they wronged someone before their death."

Verde selected another picture, zooming out to give a 3-D view. It was the thin, gangly Remnant from last night. "This is the killer. I've gathered that it can slice through human bone and flesh easily, judging from the victims' wound. It's not an easy feat since ligament and tendon structures are protected by surrounding tissues and—"

Lal Mirch sighed quietly. "Verde."

Verde ignored her and just brought up images of the victims' corpses. Tsuna slightly cringed. They were…just really unpleasant to look at. Kusakabe gaped. "Verde-san, how did you—"

"It'll be too complicated for you to understand," Verde said blandly. "After looking at the images, I noticed something interesting. The first victim lost her head and the second victim lost her arms. The third victim, from what Fon told me, was aiming to take her torso. This reveals more about the Griever. You could call it Body Snatcher in your language; simply, it's collecting different body parts to assemble the image it wanted to be when it had been alive."

If Lal Mirch wasn't keeping Tsuna calm, he would've flinched. No matter how much he didn't want to believe it, it somehow made sense. The head, the arms—but why? Verde said that the Griever wanted to become something it could've been or wanted to be when it was alive, but why? And there was something else about this: the little girl.

"Kusakabe-san," Tsuna said, drawing everyone's attention, "do you have a yearbook from Umeki's san's class year?"

Nodding, Kusakabe headed towards one of the many cabinets in Hibari's office, which were filled with school records from all of Namimori's schools. Talk about school spirit. Hibari was a strange man. Soon, Kusakabe brought over an impeccably well-kept yearbook that had 1998 engraved on the maroon cover.

"Thank you," Tsuna said, taking it with both hands.

He flipped through the laminated pages carefully, passing pictures of school festivals, field trips, and celebrations, until he found the students' pictures. When he turned the page again, his breath hitched: Kageyama Ayame. What caught his attention next was the picture next to her's. Identical twins—Kageyama Ayame and Kageyama Aika. They both had short black hair and brown eyes aside from Ayame's glasses, her shy smile, and Aika's cheeky grin. Tsuna pointed at Ayame's picture. "I saw her in my vision," he said. "She called out to Megumi before she died."

Kusakabe furrowed his brows. "Is she related to that cre—Griever somehow?"

"I don't know," Tsuna said. "But I don't think she's the enemy. She appeared in my…house and showed me where Umeki-san was so I could save her. If she wanted to hurt her, she wouldn't be helping her. Kusakabe-san, could you get some information about her and her sister? I think that'll help."

Kusakabe nodded. "Of course." He glanced at Hibari. "Kyo-san."

Hibari didn't move, his eyes trained on Tsuna despite Fon's wary look. Finally, he stood up, brushing his suit jacket. "Herbivore," he said, pinning Tsuna to the spot with a glare, "don't leave."

"Wait, Hiba—"

Lal Mirch held Tsuna back as Hibari left the office. Kusakabe gave him a strained smile before following after him.

"I must say," Fon said, "it is quite problematic for that child to look like me so much."

Lal Mirch let out a loud sigh and draped her arms over the couch. "That's what I'm sayin'," she said, wrinkling her nose. "I thought I was talking to your twin. It's freaky. Did you fool around or something?"

Fon tilted his head. "No. I have spent most of my time in China searching for Luce. Besides, we cannot conceive children."

Tsuna blinked. "Wait, what?"

"It's an inconvenience to us if we can produce children," Verde said, closing the holograms. "Though humans are ignorant for the most part, they're unintentional intellectuals when they can be. Have you not heard of their tales about gods and their children? If we can conceive, it'd only create unnecessary situations."

"Basically, having kids mean problems and problems mean effort," Lal Mirch deadpanned. "We don't have the time for that."

Tsuna rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Oh…"

Lal Mirch crossed her legs. "Besides, kid are disgusting."

"They are alright," Fon said, "with the right discipline."

Tsuna didn't want to know what he meant by discipline. Closing the yearbook, he stood up and placed it back in the cabinet Kusakabe had taken it from. "Anyways, we need to find Kageyama Aika." He glanced over his shoulder. "Umeki-san night not talk and we don't have the time for that. Verde-san…what does your watch do exactly?"

Verde resumed writing in his notebook, not looking up. "It's a portable GPS with a hacking mechanism and has space for a variety of data-entry. I created it with my Flames because human watches aren't as durable."

Tsuna looked at him in awe. "That's incredible, Verde-san! What other stuff did you make?"

"Hey," Lal Mirch said, "we're going to be stuck here all day if you get him going. Just get this case done and over with. You wanted to do something about that little girl, right?"

Tsuna frowned. "Right. Sorry. I just wanted to ask you, Verde-san, if you could find information about Kageyama Ayame and her sister." He looked down at the smooth wooden flooring. "It's not that I don't trust the police. They can only do so much and this is a really…weird situation for them."

Lal Mirch smiled lazily. "So you're using us?"

Tsuna huffed. "That's not what I said. I want to help Umeki-san."

"Why?" Fon said. "You do not know her."

Tsuna pinched the bridge of his nose, becoming easily irritated again being away from Lal Mirch. "I'm not repeating myself again."

"Is this your job?" Verde said, still scribbling in his notebook about God knew what.

Tsuna ignored the question. "Can you do it, Verde-san?" He clenched his hands into fists. "Please…"

Silence hung in the room. Tsuna didn't look at them, afraid he might blow up from the accumulating pressure in his head. It was too quiet. Finally, a small beep came sounded in the air before a faint green light glowed in front of him. Looking up, Tsuna watched Verde type something on the screens, the keyboard making tiny beeping sounds. Newspaper articles and a picture of Ayame popped up. Verde skimmed it quickly, browsing through several different articles in seconds. "Kageyama Ayame was killed in a car accident while attending a birthday party," he said. "She was 6 years old and died upon impact."

That explained the green dress and blood. Tsuna moved around to get a better view of the holograms. Different articles from Namimori Times, Kokuyo Daily, and Midori Reporter were assorted in rows with the headlines: "Child Killed in Accident", "Hit-and-Run in Midori; One Killed", and "Driver Prosecuted For Hit-and-Run". Apparently, Ayame had been trying to cross the road when a car passed a red light and hit her.

"It wasn't their fault," a small voice said.

Tsuna turned around to see Ayame standing by the door, her eyes downcast. Blood dripped from her head and soaked her dress, creating pitter-patter sounds in the room. Despite the Arcobaleno being there, she didn't seem too intimidated, or at least, she didn't run away. Still she kept her gaze on her dirty feet. "It wasn't their fault…"

"What?" Tsuna said. "What wasn't their fault?"

Ayame stiffened. "She's coming."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "Who?"

"Oi," Lal Mirch said, propping a hand on her hip, "just spit it out."

Ayame sucked in a breath. "Please help her. Please. It wasn't their fault."

Tsuna tried to reach out to her when she vanished. "Wait!" He whirled around to glare at Lal Mirch. "You scared her off!"

Lal Mirch didn't bat an eye. "No, but you wouldn't have gotten an answer anyways. Have you ever had a spirit tell you directly what happened to them?"

Tsuna groaned in frustration. "No, but I could've gotten more out of her if you hadn't said that!"

"Spirits are stuck in a loop," Fon said. "They are not always aware of what is happening around them. They do not see or perceive things clearly. What she sees is her friend, not Umeki Erisa or Ashida Megumi. This is what we call the Veil."

"The Veil is a spiritual phenomenon classified for spirits," Verde said. "As Fon said, they're mostly unable to perceive their surroundings or realize that they're dead. They're unable to comprehend things rationally, mostly guided by their innate emotions that transferred over from their death. Spirits aren't able to move on unless they've been appeased or sent to Paradisus. That's our word for your impractical notion of Heaven."

That explained how all the victims Tsuna met had only given him vague, almost nonsensical descriptions to how they died, leaving him and the police to piece things together. "Okay," Tsuna said. Lightly, he clapped his hands over his nose and sighed. "Let's focus on what we're going to do next. Something happened between them and the Griever must be connected to it somehow. Ayame said to save her, but Umeki-san is still in the station and nothing has happened so far. What about her sister, Verde-san?"

Verde had already changed the screens to a different set of pictures and an obituary. "Kageyama Aika has been dead for two months. She overdosed on sleeping pills."

"There's your killer," Lal Mirch said.

Tsuna pursed his lips. "How would you know that?"

Lal Mirch shrugged. "It has specific targets that are connected, there's reasonable motive, and we can just go kill it."

"That doesn't explain why the Remnant is killing them. You said that they're negative pieces left behind."

"And what will you do if you learn why it wants to kill those women?" Fon said. "It is much easier to destroy it before it does much worse. There is no need to understand it."

"We don't just go around destroying things!" Tsuna said. "Verde-san, you said that they're pieces of the spirits. Doesn't that mean that a part of them is still there?"

Verde pressed a button on his watch, making the holograms disappear. "In a sense, yes."

Lal Mirch slightly narrowed her eyes. "Verde."

"However, that doesn't mean that it has a sound mind. Remnants act on pure emotion and instinct, so it'll be difficult trying to appeal to them. They originate from Purgatorium, which is what you would call Hell, but is more related to purgatory. The ones that managed to escape are the ones that haven't been completely purified. Because our dichotomy was thrown off after Luce left, the other realms are also weakening, but at a gradual pace. Without Lal Mirch or Bermuda to keep the gateways stable, there will be spirits and Remnants alike trying to enter your world."

Tsuna massaged the bridge of his nose. "Okay, I didn't ask for all of that but thank you, I guess. So there's still a part of them remaining inside." He looked towards the door. "Umeki-san will be fine for now as long as she doesn't leave the station." He grimaced. "And I don't want you and Hibari-san to make a scene."

Fon stood up from the couch. "What are you planning?"

"Verde-san, can you tell me where Kageyama-san lived?"

Lal Mirch raised a brow. "Tsuna, what are you doing? Don't tell me you're going to do something stupid."

"I'm going to find out what happened and why that Griever is trying to kill them. If it is Kageyama-san, then I want to know what kept her here." Tsuna glanced at the three over his shoulder. "Don't expect me to do things your way. I have a conscious I want to keep intact and I'm not planning on throwing it away any time soon."

Lal Mirch smirked. "Oh, nice spine you got there." She walked towards him, her dress shoes clacking lightly against the floor. "I'm still all for killing it, but I'll let you take the lead this time."

Tsuna eyed her warily while Fon followed behind her. He smiled. "And I will not let it get away this time."

Verde stood up from the couch, jotting down more notes in his notebook. "It's an hour's drive from here."

After sending a quick text to Kusakabe about keeping Hibari-san out of the loop for a while and to question Umeki-san about Ayame, Tsuna opened the door.

"By the way," Lal Mirch said, "isn't that guy going to go crazy again for us leaving?"

Tsuna sighed. "At this point, does it even matter?"

Fon's smile sharpened. "Have you been in a rel—"

"No!"

Tsuna just wanted to help Ayame pass over and protect Umeki-san. Even though the Arcobaleno were a nice boost of help, why did everything seem so much harder?

Aika's apartment was in Block 11, Midori. It was a quaint, 12-story building with nice windows. Midori was the richest district in Namimori, with a handful of private schools and wealthy families that exhibited a strong influence over the city. Hibari's family also lived here but Tsuna didn't bother to know where.

After paying the taxi driver, who had eyed them oddly when they entered his cab, Tsuna headed for the apartment's entrance. There was a buzzer outside the newly-painted door with a list of all the residents and their room numbers above it. Tsuna went down the list until he found Kageyama Jiro, the twins' father's name. He rang the apartment number.

A gruff voice spoke through, "What?"

"This is a package delivery, sir!" Tsuna said in a cheery voice.

"Huh? I didn't order anythin'."

"Hmm, is this Kageyama Jiro?"

"Yeah…"

"Jiro Kageyama, 1-3 Midori-cho, Midori, Nami—"

"Yes, yes! Hell, stop talkin' so loud. The government's probably listenin' in!"

A loud buzz sounded through the machine before the door unlocked. Fon was fast enough to open it for Tsuna who just blinked at the smiling man. "Thank you…?"

"Of course," Fon said. "Watch your step."

The four of them clambered up the stairs since the father lived on the second floor and taking the elevator would just take more time.

"What are you trying to do, Tsunayoshi?" Fon said.

"Find out what happened to Ayame and her sister," Tsuna said. "Maybe I can find something there, too."

"He's not going to let us in," Lal Mirch said. "I told you. It's easier to just use that woman as bait and kill it."

When they finally arrived at 305, Tsuna knocked on the door. "He will."

There was a small crash behind the door, some curse words, and grunts that made Tsuna step back. Lal Mirch placed her hand on his shoulder while Fon hovered beside him. Verde stood behind but his pen wasn't moving. Finally, a small trill sounded from the door, echoing in the bright hallways, before the door jerked open. The scent of alcohol and cigarette smoke wafted in Tsuna's nose.

A stout man stood at the doorway, his gray hair messy and his beard unshaven. He wore a green shirt with a strange stain, probably from takeout, and some black shorts. There were dark circles under his eyes, which reminded Tsuna of fish eyes, wide and lifeless. The man made a face. "Who the hell are you?" he said, his breath reeking of beer. "Where's my package?"

"I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi," Tsuna said. "I'm with the Namimori Police and these are…some detectives. I'm sorry for approaching you like this, but we came here about your daughters."

Jiro narrowed his eyes as he leaned heavily on the doorway. "What? That's been done and over with. The hell are you tryin' to do? Get out of my sight!"

"Please, this is important."

Tsuna flinched when Jiro attempted to punch his face until Lal Mirch caught his weak fist and stepped in front of him. "You better think twice, pig," she said calmly, "or I'll tear your arm off. I'll be like snapping a twig."

Jiro gritted his teeth, squirming uselessly in Lal Mirch's grip. "W—Who the hell are you? Let go of me, you bitch!"

When Tsuna blinked, Ayame appeared behind Jiro's legs. She stared up at her father, her brows furrowed. "Papa?" she said quietly. "Is that you, Papa?"

"I'm here about your daughters," Tsuna repeated. "I apologize, but it'll help us with our case."

"They're dead!" Jiro said, baring his teeth. "What more do you people want from me? Why can't you leave me alone? My wife died because of you fuckin' bastards! You think that just because you're wearin' some fancy suits that you're better than us? You just take and take and take!" He laughed almost hysterically; some spit dribbled down his chin. "Well, I'm a man with nothin' anymore so there's nothin' you can take from me!"

Ayame trembled. "Papa, stop it."

Tsuna pursed his lips. "You're scaring her. You're scaring Ayame. She's afraid of you."

Jiro made a confused sound. "What the hell did you say? You have no right to say my daughter's name!"

He cried out in pain when Lal Mirch twisted his wrist in a painful angle. "You're not thinking," she said.

"Papa liked the beach," Ayame said. "The blue and pink seashell we found together, he still has it"—she looked at Tsuna with a bit of hope—"right?"

"You both found a blue and pink seashell on the beach together," Tsuna said, making Jiro go rigid. "Do you still have it?"

Jiro stared at him. "W—What? How"—he snarled—"What the fuck do you know? Just get the hell out! Out!"

Fon struck a nerve on Jiro's neck, knocking him out cold. Tsuna sucked in a small breath when the man slumped on the ground in a heap. "Why did you do that?" he hissed. "How are we supposed to get anything out of him now?"

"He is only unconscious," Fon said.

Lal Mirch pushed Tsuna inside. "He wasn't going to let us in anyways and we weren't getting anywhere. Besides, aren't we on a schedule?"

Tsuna clicked his tongue before coughing from the strong odor in the apartment. It was enough for two people. Dirty dishes were piled in the sink; several credit card bills and empty takeout boxes filled the small table in the living room, with beer bottles strewn on the dirty brown carpet. Tsuna walked over to open the windows and let in some air. Ayame appeared beside him, staring at her father's unconscious body with a frown. "Why is Papa like that?" she said. "Mama told him not to drink anymore."

Tsuna raised a hand to silence Lal Mirch. Crouching, he looked up at Ayame's dull brown eyes; her broken glasses were crooked on her nose. "Ayame," he said, "do you know what happened to you?"

Ayame blinked slowly. "I…don't know. It's cold." She gazed down at him. "But you're…so warm." Many spirits had told Tsuna the same thing. "Why is Papa like that? Why won't he look at me?"

Tsuna licked his chapped lips. "Ayame, do you remember anything before you came here? Megumi—do you remember her?"

"Megumi-chan?" Ayame gasped. "Megumi-chan! Is she okay? Chisa-chan, Erisa-chan, and Kasumi-chan—are they all okay, too?"

Tsuna furrowed his brows when she mentioned Kasumi but filed it away for later. "Are they your friends?"

Ayame faltered before looking down at her feet. "Ah, Megumi-Chan—Megumi-chan is really nice. She said she liked me. I don't think the others did but Megumi-chan invited me anyways."

"Invited? Where did she invite you to?"

Ayame smiled shyly. "Her birthday party. She said I could come."

Tsuna pursed his lips. "What happened at the party? Can you show me?"

"Tsuna," Lal Mirch said, "don't."

"It's fine," Tsuna said, not looking at her. "I've done this before." He shrugged off Fon's hand from his shoulder. "This isn't dangerous. I won't die." He looked back at Ayame. "Show me what happened."

As soon as their hands touched, Tsuna felt like his mind was sucked in some vacuum. The apartment was gone and he was looking at Midori Park through Ayame's eyes. The sun shone brightly above him and the trees swayed with the warm breeze. He could hear the adults and children chattering all around him until they soon faded away. There was the sound of paper being torn and a small squeal. A younger Megumi held up a cute keychain doll in the air; it was a small teddy bear with a pink ribbon tied around its neck. The scene shifted and Tsuna soon found himself running, trying to catch up with Megumi and three other girls as they dashed across the street. Megumi waved at him—Ayame—with a grin when something caught his eye. The teddy bear had fallen from Megumi's skirt. He paused before reaching for it on the ground. Tires screeched in the background and a brutal impact suddenly tore through his body.

"Ayame-chan!"

Tsuna heaved in a sharp gasp, stumbling to the ground. His body trembled as Lal Mirch supported his back, kneeling beside him. Her Rain Flames soon soothed the phantom sensation of pain that coursed through him; still, he could feel the car slamming into him and the ground painfully meeting his head. Ayame flinched when Lal Mirch looked at her.

"Leave," she said.

Tsuna raised his trembling hand to stop Ayame but she had already disappeared. Slumping against Lal Mirch, he rubbed his face and sighed against his clammy hands. "I think you were right," he said. "The Griever could be her sister but…" He could still hear Megumi's scream in his ears, tires screeching, the harsh sound of metal against flesh and bone. "It wasn't their fault. She was talking about Megumi and the others. Ayame tried…to get the doll back to her but…"

"It is not a good idea to look through the eyes of the dead, Tsunayoshi," Fon said, crouching to caress his cheek. "Their memories, their pain, their fear—all of them strains your body and mind needlessly."

Tsuna brushed his hand away. He struggled to stand with Lal Mirch's help. "I have to do it to help Ayame and Umeki-san." He swayed a bit before regaining his footing. "No one else can. Verde-san, did Kageyama-san overdose in her room?"

"The bathroom," Verde said, his eyes on his notebook. "Her father found her a few hours later after coming back from work."

Tsuna stumbled towards the bathroom, pushing the door open. A faint tingle prickled in his chest when he stepped inside. It was fairly clean, and aside from the lack of soap, everything was intact. Tsuna knelt down by the tub, sensing the lingering traces of Aika's emotional fragments. He reached out and touched the cold tile floors before his mind warped elsewhere.

He was looking at Aika through the mirror, her face pale and eyes red from crying; she wore a long baggy shirt that hung on her thin frame. If Tsuna didn't know Aika was Ayame's twin, he would've easily mistaken her for the other, even though she was much older now. A sudden wave nausea pulsed in his head, making him—Aika—stagger. Garbled thoughts raced through his dizzying head: Why do I look like this—Nee-chan, why are you here—My face, I hate it—Fuck those bitches, living a good life—Tou-san snapped at me—I need—What the hell's the point—Stop talking to me—Fuck—Get out—I want—They don't fucking deserve—This is the 4th time I got fired—Shitty people with their shitty dogs—

A scream tore from his lips when she scratched her face. Blood dripped down her sunken cheeks. "I hate you!" she screamed at the mirror.

Tsuna gasped deeply and held onto the tub for support. Rage thundered in his chest, but the guilt and pain were heavier, weighing him down. He panted hard to catch his breath until Lal Mirch placed a hand on his heaving back, dousing him with Rain Flames. Soon, he relaxed, almost relishing the cool Flames mollifying the dark emotions.

"You're an idiot," Lal Mirch said, hauling him up to his feet. "Come on. You got what you wanted. Let's go."

"No," Tsuna said, "we need to go back to the station."

Lal Mirch pursed her lips. "What are you saying? You've done enough."

Tsuna smiled humorlessly. "No, I haven't. I need to help Ayame pass over."

Fon held the door for him again as they left the apartment. "Pass over? Ah, do you mean sending her to Paradisus? Can you do that?"

Tsuna brushed past him, careful not to step on Jiro's hand. "No, they just…see the light when they're ready to go. I just help them with what they need."

"How long have you been doing this?" Verde said.

"Long enough. Let's go. We need to talk to Umeki-san."

Lal Mirch sighed. "Why? You already have enough. Just send a text to that man and go home."

"Look," Tsuna said, turning around to face them, "I'm trying to do everything I can to help Ayame and you're not holding your end of the deal. You're supposed to help me, not tell me what to do, Lal Mirch."

Fon tilted his head. "Deal? What deal?"

"It's nothing," Lal Mirch said.

"A deal for each other's benefits," Verde said, pushing up his glasses. "If Lal Mirch helps Tsuna with the case considering the fact that she met him when this occurred, then Tsuna would help her after." At Tsuna's incredulous look, he said, "It's the most obvious logical conclusion."

Tsuna only sighed. "Let's just go."

When they arrived at the police station, no one stopped them from heading to the second floor. Tsuna led the others to where Hibari's team was. The homicide unit grew a bit ever since the murders in Namimori took on a more bizarre turn, even though none of the detectives stayed for too long. The longest was probably a month before Hibari kicked him out, literally.

There were eight detectives divided into two units that handled different cases at a time. Kusakabe was the one to actually handle the administrative work while Hibari carried out the arrests and interrogations. The detectives did most of the groundwork but weren't utilized well in Tsuna's opinion, but what could he do? Trying to stand up to Hibari's regime was like trying to move three mountains at once.

A few detectives sat at their desks, which were pushed against each other to distinguish their team units, and looked through old newspaper articles. Kusakabe perked up when he saw Tsuna enter the office while Hibari stared Fon down from his office chair. Fon just smiled at him, making the other man's brow twitch.

"Sawada-san," Kusakabe said, "you're back."

"I told you to stay put, herbivore," Hibari said.

Tsuna tried hard not to tense under the his piercing gaze. "I—I had to do something, Hibari-san, not sit around all day. Umeki-san is still in danger." He cleared his throat. "We just came back from Kageyama Aika's apartment."

Kusakabe furrowed his brows. "Yes, we have here that she committed suicide two months ago. She OD'ed. Did you speak with her father?"

Tsuna grimaced. "Um, kind of. Not really. Could I talk to you in private, Kusakabe-san?"

"Yes, of course."

Kusakabe led him and the Arcobaleno to his office, closing the door after Hibari followed inside. Tsuna took a small breath. Usually he'd tell Kusakabe anything he saw or heard from the spirits because talking to Hibari was like talking to a brick wall. "Ayame was at Ashida-san's birthday. She got hit by a car when she tried to get a keychain doll she gave to Ashida-san as a gift; we believe that her sister, Aika, is the Griever. I saw her…before her death. She was in a really bad place. She blamed herself for Ayame's death but she placed all that anger on the other women. There's also a reason why Kageyama-san…took specific body parts. When I saw her, she looked like Ayame and that must've taken a toll on her; seeing her sister's face no matter where she went was a heavy reminder of Ayame."

Silence fell in the office. Kusakabe crossed his arms over his broad chest. "How do you propose we stop it?" he said. "It can't be stopped normally and I'm assuming that our weapons won't work against it."

Tsuna grimaced. "Yes, about that, Umeki-san is Aika's current target and she still is."

Lal Mirch huffed under her breath. "We're going to use her as bait, is what he wants to say."

"That's not what I meant," Tsuna muttered half-heartedly.

"Grievers usually linger around a particular area due to some emotional attachment," Verde said. "It can be where they have died or another place that has a deeper meaning for them. However, in this case, the Griever could be rooted somewhere else since it didn't appear at the woman's apartment. I narrowed it down to the place where the accident had occurred."

Kusakabe sighed heavily. "I've spoken with Umeki-san and asked her about Kageyama Ayame but she didn't really give me much to work with. I think her guilt is holding her back."

"Let me talk to her," Tsuna said. "I can tell her everything."

Kusakabe frowned. "But from what I've heard so far, is it safe to have Umeki-san so exposed like that? How will we know if…the Griever will appear? We're not properly equipped to fight it."

"You aren't," Lal Mirch said, "but we are."

Fon smiled. "While the human ability can be fairly impressive, you have your limits."

Verde pressed a button on his watch that displayed the plan that he had made in the taxi. He pointed at the street where Ayame was killed. "This park has many trees that can cover us from view. Your men"—he gestured at the white lines around the park—"will be stationed here as needed to keep humans out and the Griever in. Of course, you'll need around 30 at minimum to ensure a secure border. We'll contain the damages in here." He pointed at a small clearing. "We'll need at least 2 or 3 officers to keep an eye on the bait as well."

"Umeki-san," Tsuna corrected.

Hibari narrowed his eyes. "Carnivore, I will not be left out."

Verde didn't bat an eye. "I don't see you having anything. Otherwise, I would've liked exchanging ideas." Tsuna had the feeling that he didn't mean that. "However, since we're the ones with better expertise on this, it's best to leave it in our hands."

"This is my territory."

Fon smiled slightly. "You are very young to be talking about such abstract concepts, child. You probably cannot even imagine how much I have."

Hibari glared at him. "I will not have vermin tell me what to do."

"Or we can just leave," Lal Mirch said. "We're not obligated to help you. Besides"—she brushed a hand over Tsuna's back, making him shiver—"we're only here because Tsuna asked us. I don't mind leaving this city to suffer. There are other places worth saving."

Tsuna gave her a warning look that she easily brushed off. Kusakabe's face looked faintly pinched. He glanced at Hibari and they seemed to exchange some silent words. Finally, Kusakabe nodded. "We would appreciate your help," he said. "Umeki-san is one of the offices. Please, follow me."

Before Tsuna entered the room, which was a few doors away, he turned around to address the Arcobaleno. "Stay out here," he said. "I can handle this."

Lal Mirch raised a brow. "Excuse me?"

Tsuna sighed. "I don't need you with me. You're just going to scare her."

"I do not like you being alone with her, Tsunayoshi," Fon said.

Tsuna pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm just going to talk to her."

"We should still go with you," Lal Mirch said.

Tsuna deadpanned. "Did you not hear a word I just said?" They were children; actually, they were probably worse. At Lal Mirch and Fon's imploring looks, Tsuna just rolled his eyes. "Fine, but I'm only taking Verde-san."

He grabbed the man's arm before the other two could protest and dragged him inside the small office space. Locking the door, Tsuna let out a small breath of relief. "I'm sorry, Verde-san."

Verde glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "There's nothing to be sorry about."

Erisa, clad in some fresh sweats, sat up from the leather couch. Her bag was laid on the carpeted floor by her feet. "S—Sawada-san?"

Tsuna smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry for appearing like this, Umeki-san. I just came in to check on you."

Erisa flushed as she tucked some hair behind her ear. "No, that's fine. I'm doing well, thank you. I…haven't slept so well in a long time." She looked down at her lap. "Everyone's been very kind to me here."

Tsuna dragged a chair from the table to sit across from Erisa. He smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. You look better."

Erisa flushed. "Thank you."

"Tsunayoshi," Verde said, standing directly behind him.

Tsuna frowned. He looked at Erisa in the eye, unwavering. "Umeki-san, I know about Ayame."

Erisa flinched. "W—What…"

"It wasn't your fault," Tsuna said quietly. "It wasn't anyone's fault but the driver's. He shouldn't have crossed the red light. He killed Ayame, not you."

Erisa widened her eyes. She gulped before looking down again; her hands slowly curled into fists. "Then—Then why did this happen to us? Why did that monster kill them? Is Ayame angry? There's no other way but—"

"That creature, the Griever, isn't Ayame."

Erisa's breath hitched. "Then…who?"

"Ayame's sister, Aika. You know her, right?"

Erisa's knuckles turned white. "Yes…"

"Have you kept in contact with her after elementary school?"

Erisa shook her head. "After…Ayame died, Aika didn't come back to school. Her family moved to Midori to live with their grandmother. I never talked to her since."

"Okay. Was Aika at the party?"

"No. Well, Megumi invited her but Aika never really liked us. She was really close with Ayame; you could never see one without the other. It's just, after Megumi befriended Ayame, things seemed a little tense. I was too young to understand but sometimes when Megumi invited Ayame to playdates, Aika would follow her. Megumi was too nice to tell her to go away but Chisa wasn't." Erisa hunched her shoulders a bit. "You can probably guess how that went…"

Tsuna frowned sympathetically. For a moment, he thought about reaching out to hold Erisa's hand for comfort but stopped himself; it was a habit mostly. Verde was here, and even though the man hadn't really shown much signs of being jealous, for a lack of better words, Tsuna still thought that he should still be wary.

"But why?" Erisa said. "Why did Aika turn out like this? How could she do this to me, to Megumi, to Chisa?"

"Aika died two months ago," Tsuna said. Erisa covered her mouth. "She overdosed on some sleeping pills, mostly out of guilt for her sister's death that she'd been carrying for 20 years. I've seen her picture. She looked a lot like Ayame." He pursed his lips. "But Ayame's death wasn't your fault. It was no one's fault but the driver's, so don't blame yourself."

"Is that why Aika hurt us?" Erisa whispered. "Because she blames us?"

Tsuna looked down at his hands. "Yes."

A bout of silence hung in the room. Erisa released a shuddering breath. "Then…what will happen now?"

Before Tsuna could respond, Verde spoke up. "We've created a plan to lure out the Griever and kill it. Because it's target was you and you're still alive, it'd be easier if you become our bait."

Tsuna looked away when Erisa inhaled sharply. "He's…right. The Gr—Aika won't appear unless you're vulnerable. I'm sorry but there's no other way. I understand if you don't w—"

"Do you prefer to live your life in fear or live without death constantly at your back?" Verde said. "It's a very simple choice to make."

Tsuna sighed irritably. "It's not that simple. Her li—"

"I—I will do it." Erisa looked up, chewing on her lip. "I will do it, Sawada-san."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "Are you sure? I don't want to force you."

Erisa nodded. "Yes, I will. I want to." She gazed down at her trembling hands. "For Megumi and Chisa."

"We'll be there with you," Tsuna said. "We'll protect you."

Erisa smiled shakily. "Thank you, Sawada-san."

"No, thank you, Umeki-san." Tsuna stood up then with Verde following suit. "Kusakabe-san will let you know the details. And here." He grabbed a name card and a pen from the table and scribbled down his number before handing it to Erisa. "Take this, in case."

Eris accepted it with shaking hands. "Thank you. Truly, thank you."

Just as Tsuna reached for the doorknob, he paused and peered over his shoulder. "By the way, Umeki-san, does the name Kasumi mean anything to you?"

Erisa blinked. "Kasumi? Ah, you mean Ogawa Kasumi? Yes, she's also our friend. She lives in Kokuyo as a writer for the Kokuyo Daily." She widened her eyes. "Is she in danger, too?"

Tsuna shook his head. "No, she won't be. I'll make sure of it. Thank you, Umeki-san."

No one spoke in the car. Tsuna had somehow found himself sitting on Fon's lap a little awkwardly. He tried ignoring Hibari's heated glares as much as he could by distracting himself with counting up by 7's. It wasn't going well. He had to start over five times before he even got to 84.

"Sawada-san."

Tsuna jumped as Fon's arm tightened around his waist to keep him from falling over. "Yes?"

Kusakabe turned right on the empty road. "Everyone is stationed in their positions and we secured the perimeters. Umeki-san is right behind us. There's been nothing out of place so far."

"Okay." Tsuna sucked in a deep breath when Fon propped his chin on his shoulder, almost cuddling him. "Thank you."

When they arrived at Midori Park, Kusakabe parked in one of the more discreet places Verde had pointed out. With their cars hidden by tall, thick trees and shrubs, the detectives that would tail Erisa to the place where Ayame had died, which was just a few miles north from here, immediately set on their path, a couple of steps behind her. Tsuna was surrounded by the Arcobaleno with Lal Mirch in the front, Fon to his left, and Verde to his right. Kusakabe and Hibari weren't too far behind, too.

Dirt and pebbles crunched underneath their feet. Tsuna shivered when a cold wind swept through the air. When they finally arrived at the accident site, they hid behind some trees a few feet away, keeping an eye on Erisa. The detectives assigned to her crouched behind some bushes, their bodies tense but ready.

If the Griever did appear, the detectives would try to keep Erisa out of danger and escape, but not engage in battle. Tsuna would stay back with Verde while Lal Mirch and Fon would take the Griever head-on. However, Tsuna wasn't sure how they'd do it since they weren't in any capacity to destroy Remnants. Still he hoped that they had some kind of plan in that area.

The clearing was silent aside from the chirping cicadas and rustling leaves. No one breathed. Tsuna unconsciously held onto Lal Mirch's suit jacket, his knuckles white, while he braced himself against a tree. Erisa walked past the empty picnic tables, her steps shaky. Her distant footsteps made Tsuna feel a bit nauseous. His heart hammered hard against his chest. Vaguely, he wondered if anyone could hear it.

Erisa suddenly paused. She clasped her hands over her chest. It was still quiet until Erisa suddenly spoke up. "A—Aika? Are you here?"

Tsuna tensed. What was she doing? Lal Mirch suddenly pulled him closer to her side, her arm around his waist. Fon silently crept closer, crouching low. Hibari brandished his tonfas, only stopping when Kusakabe pulled him back.

"I'm—I'm so sorry," Erisa said, looking around the empty clearing with wide eyes. "Really, please believe me. We—None of us didn't mean for Ayame to—"

A loud shriek suddenly filled the air, making nearly everyone cover their ears. The sound of clinking metal came from Lal Mirch's arm before she aimed her gauntlet at Erisa. A wire soon shot out just as the Griever lunged from the shadows. Lal Mirch yanked Erisa away in time, leaping forward to grab the woman and toss her to a nearby detective.

"Take her and run!" she said, unwinding the wire.

Fon suddenly held onto Tsuna's shoulder and gently pushed him towards Verde. He smiled slightly. "Please be careful, Tsunayoshi."

He sprinted forward to meet the Griever in mid-air and kicked it towards the trees; several loud cracks sounded through the air. Lal Mirch clicked her tongue. She hauled the stunned detective up and shoved him towards the way they came. "Are you deaf? Move!"

The two detectives snapped out of their stupor and led a shell-shocked Erisa away, disappearing in the darkness. Kusakabe gaped when Lal Mirch joined the fray, leaping in the air and tackling the Griever to the ground before it could reach Fon again. They tumbled on the floor, grappling and hissing at each other. The Griever snarled and twisted its thin body to quickly escape Lal Mirch's hold. It crawled away on all fours before jumping high. Shrieking, it elongated its claws. Lal Mirch rolled out of the way just as they stretched out like long needles and tried to stab her. Fon dashed forward, running along the thin claws, spun in the air, and slammed his knee across the Griever's face.

"Verde!" Lal Mirch said, pouncing on the creature. She held its squirming body to the ground with a grunt. "Now!"

Tsuna tensed when Verde grabbed his arm. The man extended his hand towards the struggling Griever before a green crackling light lit up on his fingertips. Some screams suddenly came from the distance behind, then gunfire. Tsuna and Kusakabe both whirled around, trying to find the source, when a sizzling sound came from the clearing. A green barrier with crackling white sparks surrounded the Griever. The creature snarled as it slammed against the barrier, only to be shocked.

Lal Mirch and Fon stood around it, keeping a safe distance. Kusakabe looked behind his shoulder. "Kyo-san, something's not right."

He fished his phone from his pocket and dialed a number. A few seconds passed but no one picked up. Tsuna looked towards the path behind them. "Verde-san, something's wrong."

Verde regarded him blankly. "We captured the Griever."

Tsuna shook his head. "No, didn't you hear that? Something happened." He tugged on his arm but Verde didn't let go. "I need to go. Umeki-san—"

"That's the their job." Verde started heading towards the hissing Griever, dragging Tsuna with him. "If anything has happened to her, that's not our fault. It's theirs."

Kusakabe dialed his phone again but there was still no response. "Kyo-san."

Hibari clicked his tongue before leaving, Kusakabe following suit. They disappeared in the shadows, their footsteps fading away moments later. Tsuna tried to pull away from Verde's grasp again but his strength was enhanced from their physical contact. "Verde-san, I promised Umeki-san that I would protect her."

"You said we," Verde said in his insufferably calm tone. "That encompasses us and the police, but doesn't single you out as her sole protector. Furthermore, that Hibari is a more suitable candidate for that. You're incapable of fighting, which will do the opposite of protecting that woman."

Tsuna decided that he hated Verde, his cold logic, and his tone. Gritting his teeth, he glared at the man. He promised Erisa that she'd be safe. He needed to make sure she was or else…

"How could you let this happen, Tsuna? How?"

Tsuna inhaled sharply. He couldn't let that happen again—no, wouldn't. Grabbing his other wrist, he wrenched his arm as hard as he could out of Verde's grip. It hurt and his muscles and bones strongly protested, but he managed to break free. Wincing, Tsuna quickly ran the other way, ignoring Lal Mirch's angry cry behind him. He wasn't strong like Hibari or competent like Kusakabe; hell, he wasn't anything like the Arcobaleno but he tried, tried to be better than the person he was before, tried to do some good in his pathetic life, tried to help people even if he couldn't help himself. He promised Erisa.

He had promised him, too.

Leaves crunched underneath Tsuna's feet as he ran through the thick groves of trees. Where had that sound come from? Panting, he looked around frantically to find the source of the screams and gunfire from before. His mind swam with dizzying thoughts and his ears rang. A sudden movement from above made him almost stumble, if he hadn't regained his footing. Gulping, he started walking again before breaking out into a jog. The sound of voices soon drew closer as he kept going forward. Tsuna quickened his pace until he tripped over something hard. Groaning, he looked over his shoulder to see what it was. He froze.

It was an arm.

Slowly, Tsuna forced himself to stand and stumble over to the limb. His breath caught in his throat. Some blood was spattered on its skin. It looked like…

He shook his head. No, that couldn't have happened. It just didn't make sense.

"Sawada-san?"

Tsuna jumped before realizing that it was Kusakabe. The man looked solemn. Tsuna gestured weakly at the lifeless arm. "Kusakabe-san, that's not…"

Kusakabe was quiet for a moment. "We don't know what happened, Sawada-san," he said. "Our detectives are dead along with Umeki-san. I think…there's something else out there."

"No," Tsuna said. "No, that's not—that's not possible. How…?"

He almost walked past the man if Kusakabe hadn't blocked him. "I don't think you should see it, Sawada-san."

Tsuna just pushed his arm out of the way and treaded forward. The smell of blood overwhelmed his nose but he didn't stop. The two detectives that was designated to protect Erisa lay dead by the trees, their bodies still intact but lifeless. Blood trickled from their ears. Tsuna fell onto his knees when he saw Erisa's head a couple of feet away. Her wide eyes were glazed over, staring at him like some cruel punishment.

Something hard suddenly struck Tsuna's face. He gasped when Hibari placed his foot on his cheek, keeping him pinned to the ground. "Herbivore," the man said, his eyes narrowed, "what is this?"

Kusakabe widened his eyes. "Kyo-san!"

Tsuna swallowed a small lump in his throat; his hands gripped the dirt tightly underneath him. "I—I don't know," he choked out. "We—"

He winced when Hibari dug the heel of his shoe harder against his face, digging it in his cheekbone. Any moment now and it would snap. "That's not the answer I'm looking for, herbivore. You let them die from your ignorance. How will you pay the price?"

"Kyo-san," Kusakabe said, "please stop. It's not his fault."

Tsuna closed his eyes. It was his fault. He shouldn't have gone with this plan; he should've just let Erisa stay at the station. How could he fuck this up again? Why was he so weak? Finally, Hibari removed his foot from his face just as some steps approached from behind.

"Tsuna!"

Lal Mirch ran over to help him up but he swatted her away. Feeling impossibly heavy, Tsuna staggered to his feet. He didn't blink when Lal Mirch reached out to assess his face. "What the hell happened?" she said.

"Umeki-san is dead," Tsuna said. "They're dead…because of me."

Kusakabe handed him a handkerchief, which Fon took instead. "It's not your fault, Sawada-san. Don't blame yourself for something are out of your control. This is on all of our shoulders."

Fon paused when he looked at Tsuna's face. He glanced at Hibari, who still had his tonfas out but was scavenging the area. "Did he do this to you, Tsunayoshi?"

Tsuna looked down at his feet. He didn't have the heart to say that he deserved it. Some semblance of reason held him back from putting Hibari in possible danger. He couldn't risk another person dying because of him anyways. "Kusakabe-san," he said, "I don't think I can do this anymore…"

"You're in a state of shock, Sawada-san," Kusakabe said gently. "This isn't your fault."

Something cold clinked around Tsuna's wrist. Verde secured the other handcuff to his own hand. Kusakabe patted his waist to find that they were his.

"If you hadn't left," Verde said, "then my barrier would've remained stable and the Griever wouldn't have escaped."

Tsuna didn't say anything. His tongue felt too thick. Soon, Hibari re-emerged from the trees. "Her chest is missing," he said.

Tsuna stiffened. Unconsciously, he looked back at Erisa's head, staring into her lifeless eyes frozen in horror. He could imagine what she was saying to him: It's all your fault. You couldn't protect me. I'm dead because of you.

"Sawada-san," Kusakabe said, snapping him out of his harrowing thoughts, "why don't you go home for the night? I'll have someone drive you. We can discuss more tomorrow when you're better able to."

"I…" Tsuna hung his head low. "Okay."

Fon led the way out. Lal Mirch wrapped an arm around Tsuna's shoulders, as if he'd escape again. No one spoke when they entered a car waiting outside the park. Tsuna didn't try to remove the handcuffs from his wrist either while he sat on Verde's lap. He felt numb all over. Everything and nothing filled his head, which throbbed dully.

"There must've been another Remnant," Verde said. "An unexpected variable. The—"

"Verde," Tsuna said, "just stop…"

Silence fell in the car again. When the cop pulled up in front of Tsuna's apartment, Tsuna opened the door and climbed out first, stopping short when the handcuffs pulled against his wrist. He waited for Verde to exit when he felt a presence behind him.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna turned around to face a tall, cloaked figure. He unconsciously stepped back, bumping into Verde's chest. The voice sounded a little strange, neither male nor female. Mind blank, Tsuna couldn't remember or process who this was. "Who…?"

The figure reached out a hand, which was slender but strong. "50,396.07¥ for the plane ticket and 9,057.80¥ for the taxi fare. In total, you owe me 59,453.87¥."

Tsuna could only stare at the strange person. "Huh…?"

A/N Oof, things are getting…difficult, haha.

For reference, 59,453.87¥ is around $535.60 or €462.86.

Thank you so much for reading! Updates will be sporadic from now on since school started, but I plan to continue writing anyways! I hope to see you again in the next chapter.

Have a lovely day~

Little Miss Bunny